Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2A
BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2023
Update on end-of-year programs
and plans presented to Banks BOE
By HANNAH CAUDELL
The Banks County Board
of Education met last Thurs
day to discuss end-of-the-
year plans and events. The
board also looked ahead
to some events that will be
happening next semester,
including project and trip
requests made by various
groups within the school
system.
Dr. Anne Hopkins opened
her superintendent’s report
on a positive note, com
menting on the success of
the high school softball and
volleyball programs after
the Lady Leopards Softball
team placed third in the
state and the Lady Leopard
Volleyball team played in
the ‘Sweet Sixteen.’
Hopkins also expressed
excitement for the Veterans’
Day programs that would be
hosted by the Banks Coun
ty Elementary and Middle
Schools.
Hopkins informed those
who attended the meeting
that Principal Mike Brown
has returned to his position
after taking medical leave.
The board expressed they
are glad to have him back
and their thankfulness for
his recovery.
Director of operations
Mike Cleveland briefly dis
cussed new security mea
sures at the school with the
board. Cleveland said that
the Centegix CrisisAlert se
curity system was tested to
see if emergency services
received an alert from all
five school buildings in the
district. According to Cleve
land, the test ran smoothly,
and that the school system
would be preparing to give
teachers guidance on how to
use the security system for
the safety and well-being of
the students.
The school system just
concluded their Tar Wars
curriculum at the middle
and high school. Tar Wars
is an educational campaign
hosted by the American
Academy of Family Physi
cians that is catered toward
school-aged children in or
der to encourage them not to
use tobacco products.
Maysville Baptist Church
will be offering free coats
to every elementary school
child this week to meet the
needs of the children in the
community this winter. Dr.
Hopkins says that she and
the board are very excited
and thankful for these do
nations.
Assistant Superintendent
Joy Edwards briefly went
over the project and trip
requests made by various
groups within the school
system. Among the requests
include student pictures and
packages, class shirts for
first grade students, and the
boys and girls high school
basketball teams’ trip to
Panama City, FI for the
Buc’s Holiday Invitational
tournament.
The board also briefly
discussed the Refuge Ar
chery club’s request to use
the multipurpose build
ing next semester for their
Georgia Indoor State Ar
chery event. Proceeds from
the concessions each year
go to a particular club. This
year, proceeds will go to the
cheerleading program. The
date of the event is set for
Feb. 17, 2024.
The Teacher and Employ
ee of the Year Awards was
also discussed. The school
system has already honored
Kipp Jackson as the Teach
er of the Year, and will an
nounce and honor the Em
ployee of the Year at next
Thursday's board meeting
on Nov. 16. Jackson has
spent 19 years with Banks
County, serving the student
population as an Agriculture
teacher and earning multi
ple awards with the Future
Farmers of America team,
including two National
Championships.
The board also expressed
their gratitude for Carolyn
Murray, the 2023 Pioneer in
Education Award recipient
for the school system. Mur
ray has acted as an adminis
trative assistant for 26 years
at the Banks County Board
of Education, and was hon
ored for her positivity, ver
satility, and commitment to
the school and to the Banks
County community.
One personnel items ap
proved by the BOE was
approving the retirement of
Randy Krumnow, bus driv
er.
SK Battery furloughing some employees
The SK Battery plant in
Commerce has furloughed
some employees until the
first of next year.
While the firm didn’t an
nounce the total number of
furloughs, sources indicate
the amount is under 200
people from its 3,000 em
ployees. Employees were
notified of the furloughs last
week.
The EV market has
slowed somewhat since
last summer according to
national industry reports.
The furloughs appear to
be linked to that softening
market condition. The fur
loughs come after SK did an
unspecified number of lay
offs in September due to the
slowing EV market.
SK issued the following
statement about the fur
loughs: “SK Battery Amer
ica is temporarily adjusting
its line operations and fur-
SK BATTERY
loughing a portion of our
production employees. We
have taken the decision as
a part of our efforts to op
timize line operations and
workforce management
with flexibility as the EV
industry is adjusting its pace
of growth.
“We understand this pres
ents enormous challenges
for our employees and their
families. SK Battery Ameri
ca remains committed to the
Georgia site and optimistic
about the long-term growth
of the U.S. EV market. We
believe our Georgia site will
play a leading role for years
to come in making batteries
for American-built EVs.”
Unemployment rate held steady in October
By Dave Williams
Capitol Beat News Service
Georgia’s unemployment
rate remained unchanged
last month at 3.4%, the state
Department of Labor re
ported Thursday.
The Peach State’s jobless
rate was half of a percent
age point below the national
unemployment rate.
Both the labor force and
number of employed Geor
gians hit all-time highs at
5.35 million and 5.17 mil
lion respectively.
But the number of jobs
fell by 1,100 in October, the
first decrease since October
of last year, when jobs de
clined by 2,700.
Nonetheless, job numbers
in two employment sectors -
private education and health
services as well as leisure
and hospitality - reached
record highs of 674,600 and
530,700 respectively. Initial
unemployment claims rose
to 21,669 last month, up 3%
compared to October a year
ago. Y
ear over year, jobless
claims increased by 4%.
In October, 83,000 job
openings were listed on the
department’s website.
The top five occupa
tions on the list were health
care, with 14,150 openings;
sales, with 11,375 listings;
hospitality, food, and tom-
ism, with 8,100 openings;
business management and
operations, with 7,825 list
ings; and information tech
nology, with 5,775 open
ings were posted.
Bluegrass jam held monthly in Maysville
A bluegrass jam will be
held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the
Soundboard, located at 8
Homer Street in Mays
ville.
“Bring the family and en
joy an evening of wonderful
bluegrass music,” organiz
ers state.
Also, “Better yet, bring
your instrument and join in
the fun.”
The bluegrass jam is held
the first Tuesday of every
month.
Planners to hear
request to expand
county business
The Banks County Planning Commission will hear a re
quest at its Nov. 21 meeting that would lead to an expan
sion at a county business.
The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the County An
nex, located at 150 Hudson Ridge, Homer.
An application has been submitted by Orr, LLC to re
zone two parcels totaling 7.2 acres located at 125 Hwy.
164, from ARR to C2 to be used for the expansion of 441
Diesel & Automotive, an auto/truck repair business.
Also at the Nov. 21 meeting, the planning commission
will hear a request from Philip Nation for a 2.33-acre lot
located at 214 Stevens Road to be conditionally used as a
home occupation (Smiley’s Welding & Repair) operating
in an accessory structure.
The above applications are on file in the Banks Coun
ty Planning and Development Office and are available for
public review. The office is located at the Banks County
Courthouse Annex at 150 Hudson Ridge in Homer.
The Banks County Board of Commissioners will hold a
public hearing to consider the recommendations from the
planning commission on these matters on Tuesday, No
vember 28, at 6:30 p.m. in the board room at the Banks
County Courthouse Annex at 150 Hudson Ridge in Homer.
Any and all persons interested are invited to appear and
comment.
Maysville DDA meets on
first Monday each month
The Maysville Downtown Development Authority will
meet at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of each month.
“City Council meetings are also on the same Mondays
at 7 p.m., so plan to attend both,” organizers state. “All are
encouraged to attend and share your thoughts and opinions
regarding what you’d like to see happen in Maysville.”
Meetings are held at 8 Homer St. Maysville, (The Sound
board).
The next meeting will be held on Monday, Dec. 4, at
6 p.m.
For more information on the organization, contact mays-
villegadda@gmail.com.
Banks School System
governance meetings set
The Banks County School System will hold governance
meetings at each school on the following dates for this
school year. All meetings will be held at 6 p.m.
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Banks County Primary School will hold meetings on
Jan. 9, February 13, March 12 and April 16. The meetings
will be held in the Banks County Primary School confer
ence room..
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Banks County Elementary School will hold meetings on
Nov. 14. The meeting will be held at the Banks County
Elementary School conference room.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Banks County Middle School will hold meetings on
Nov. 28 , Jan. 16, February 20, March 19 and April 23. The
meetings will be held at the Banks County Middle School
conference room.
HIGH SCHOOL
Banks County High School will hold meetings on Nov.
14, Dec. 12, Jan. 9, Feb. 13, March 12 and April 16. The
meetings will be held at the Banks County High School
conference room.
Toys for Tots fundraiser
to be held on Dec. 7
A Toys for Tots fundraiser will be held at AJ’s Pizza Pub
from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7.
All who donate a new toy will receive a free photo with
Santa.
The restaurant is located at 700 Historic 441 Highway,
Cornelia.
News Deadline: Noon Fridays
Email angela@mainstreetnews.com
Fun By The Numbers
2
1
8
5
3
6
9
1
1
8
4
7
2
5
6
6
4
5
8
3
5
7
8
1
6
1
7
4
3
2
9
6
4
1
8
7
PUBLIC NOTICE
Banks County is receiving applications for the following public service opportunities. If
you feel you may be qualified and are willing to serve in this position, please call
(706)677-6800 to request an application and a description of the position or go to
www.bankscountyga.org/bc - complete the webform and submit online by the below
deadline. You may also download the application and return the completed form to the
Commissioners' office located at 150 Hudson Ridge, Suite 1, Homer, GA by noon on
Thursday, December 7, 2023 or you may email the completed application to
jgailev@co.banks.ga.us.
BOARD
TERM
Board of Health
6
Board of Health
6
Board of Health
6
Board of Tax Assessors
6
